Trolley-wheel.



UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

TROLLEY-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.786,795, dated April 11,1905. Application ledfluly 28, 1904. Serial No. 218,524.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus,

in the county of Museogee and State of Greoroperated trolley-wheel, onethat will adjust itself to all conditions of actual service Withoutlosing contact with the conducting-wire and one that will not wear outthe wire, more especially in passing around curves or where the wire isnot over the center of the track or Where the car rocks.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the constructionVand combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Inl the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents an end View of myimproved trolley-wheel. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and Fig. 3 is alongitudinal horizontal section.

o represents the supporting-pole forked in lthe usual way andterminating in two upwardly-projecting arms b. Each of these arms isprovided'with a bored-out portion c, in which is inserted waste d forthe purpose of oiling ythe same, the oil being supplied through the holee. By this simple means the bearings of the wheel are always keptlubricated. The top of each of the'arms Z) is recessed in the form of asemicircle to form a bearing for the `shaft f of the trolley-wheelproper, and a cap-piece g, fastened by screws i, serves to hold thewheel in position inthe arms b, the construction being the same on bothsides of the wheel.

' The shaft f of the trolley-wheel has made integral with it on itscenter the drum c', provided with a semicircular depression j, in whichthe conducting-wire engages under ordinary circumstances. however, thatthis depression should be used, as the outer surface of the drum t' mayloe It is not necessary,

perfectly cylindrical, if desired. The drum?l is recessed on each side,as shown at 7c, for y the reception of the hubs of the slidablewheelwithV the hub 0 of the ange, which is re-l cessed, as shown at p,one end of the hub, as shown at q, being in contact with the shaft f.This shaft f is screw-threaded, as shown at r,

and on the screw-threaded portion4 is secured a nut s, while a spiralspring t is conned in the space between the head of the nut s and thepartq of the huh. The result of this construction is that thewheel-Bange can easily slip outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2to that shown is Fig.p3, for example, against the tension of the springt. In rounding a curve, therefore, one or both of the iianges will slipoutwardly and will not tend to bend or cramp the wire, as is the casewith the ordinary trolley-wheel. The construction ofthe wheel-flange,spring, and nut is the same on both sides of the wheel. It should befurther noted that these Wheel-Hanges revolve freely and easily aroundthe main drum c', the result being that in rounding a curve where thewire is swung' from a position at right angles to the axle f to aposition inclined thereto the wheel-iiaiges will slip outwardly and, ifnecessary, revolve freely on the cylindrical surface c' and axle f. Theresult of this/construction is that in rounding a curve scarcely noresistance is'offered more than is presented under ordinary conditions,as it is simply necessary to compress the springs t, which are not madevery heavy. The same is true when the car rocks, throwing the -wireagainst one or the other of the wheel-angcs, or when the wire is notexactly over the center of the track.

The springs are located within the trolleywheel throughout and entirelyprotected from the action of the weather, and the whole makes a verycompact, economical, and eflicient trolley-wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trolley-wheel, the combination of supporting-arms and atrolley-wheel mounted therein, said Wheel consisting of afreely-revoluble central axle provided with a drum, and spring-pressedflanges overlapping said drum revolubly and slidably mountedindependently thereof on said axle, substantially as described.

2. In a trolley-wheel, the combination of supporting-arms, an axleprovided with an enlarged drum revolubly mounted in said arms, flangesoverlapping said drum slidably and revolubly mounted independentlythereof on said axle, and springs normally tending to press said flangestoward each other, substantially as described.

3. In a trolley-wheel, the combination of supporting-arms, an axlerevolubly mounted in said arms provided with screw-threaded portions,said axle being provided with a drum in the center, Wheel-flangesprovided with recessed hubs revolu bly and slidably mounted on said axleand said drum, nuts engaging the screw-threaded portion of said axle,and

springs located between said nuts and the hubs of the wheel-llanges,substantially as described.

L. In a trolley-wheel, the combination of supporting-arms, an axlerevolubly mounted in said arms and screw-threaded near cach end thereof,a cylindrical drum mounted on said axle, said drum being recessed oneach end and provided with a central circumferential groove, wheel-angesrevolubly and slidably mounted on said axle and said drum, saidwheel-flanges consisting of outer portions provided with inclined faces,a hub and spokes connecting said hub, said hub being recessed for thereception of the springs, nuts engaging the screw-threaded portions ofsaid shaft, and springs located between said nuts and in the recesses ofthe hubs of the wheel-flanges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN W. CLARK.

Witnesses:

J. STEPHEN GIUSTA, WARREN G. OGDEN.

